I am still waiting for the final product. I liked Wreckagw before today but getting the official version today jacked it up to 5 stars easily. If this happens throughout I will be a happy man.

Can someone please send me download link? I just got out of work!!!

Okay, after first decent audio listen (you can still hear issues even with the leak) Im ready for tiers (chronologically)

Favorites
Dark Matter
Waiting For Stevie
Setting Sun

Probably Great
Scared of Fear
React/Respond
Got to Give

Really Good
Wreckage

Good
Wont Tell
Upper Hand
Running

boy or girl?

you refuse to even acknowledge something special?

not sure i really like got to give. it's not really hitting me and i spend most of the time its on anticipating setting sun, which is 1000% my favourite on this record. what a stunner.

Here's Tall Girl's response to Wreckage, she likes it:

Ok I was prepared to let you down…but I do (like it) hahaha
I usually don’t love Pearl Jam bc his voice reminds me of everything I hated during their peak
Like all I can hear is a jimmy fallon impression of him. But that song isn’t like that
I can also see that song featured in soundtracks

I'm mostly popping this here so I can come back and chuckle a bit in a year.

This was the most emotionally affected I've been on a first listen to a Pearl Jam album in ages. I teared up during Won't Tell, weirdly. I had to take a forced interval after Upper Hand due to a bawling toddler, and maybe Waiting for Stevie suffered a bit for that.

Loved: React/Respond, Wreckage, Won't Tell, Setting Sun,
Liked: Scared of Fear, Dark Matter, Waiting For Stevie, Something Special
Still kinda liked: Running
Gave me the vibe of a song that I quite like now but will likely end up skipping a year from now: Got to Give
Needs time, maybe: Upper Hand

Mixed feelings on this. I’m not huge on roots rock or Americana - especially the “poppy” kind. That discounts a few songs. None of them offensive but just not my jam. Wouldn’t switch the radio station per se, but likely not being added to my playlist. That discounts at least 25% of DM.

WFS is an all time classic and will rest with other classics from their career.

Setting Sun is fantastic closer especially the last coda. Epic.

The rockers are fine. A little more grit and distortion would have worked, but alas. Fine as is.

Upper hand is ace.

The interludes are great especially that gothic cathedral almost doom metalish interlude before upper hand.

This is a true 6/10. Better than LB and BS; perhaps on par with Giga; a notch below S/T. Doesn’t come close to RA or anything that preceded it.

Early assessment. This may evolve with repeated listens.

Hail Allah.

They decide.

shit, forgot! also upgrading running. album placement matters!

Can I get a link please? Eternally grateful...

I would love a link if we’re still sharing.

Yeah I know people are definitely taking a DIY approach to this, but I’ve not kept up enough to those if there’s a “preferred method” for collapsing to stereo. I do know one can access the Dolby Atmos software for free, so I imagine we can all tinker with the right headphones/speakers setup.

the wreckage on spotify definitely sounds less hot/loud than the leak to me, so hopefully this leak isn't how the final master sounds when it's out tomorrow.

Did you get it, Vedder?

The songs I feel most favourable towards on initial listens are Scared of Fear, React Respond, Wreckage and Won't Tell.

The rest aren't doing a great deal for me, the whole back half of the record feels like a bit of a slog currently.

i've only heard the 3 officially released songs.

'dark matter' reminds me more of gigaton than anything. if 'running' was on 'backspacer' it would have been one of the best songs, but it's the 3rd of 3 in this bunch. 'wreckage' reminds me of 'into the wild' if pearl jam played on it. i'm sure it will get tom petty comparisons. i've only heard it a few times, but i'd but it #2 out of these 3.

i also listened to 'quick escape' and 'dotc' right after these 3 new songs. these are my two favorite on gigaton, so the 3 new ones still aren't living up to those 2.

I said this before and I still think it’s true…Waiting for Stevie suffers a bit from its placement. After Won’t Tell and Upper Hand it’s hard to get up for a third of those types of songs in a row.

Warehouse, I have a feeling you are really going to dig this record.